Shaping Digitalisation for an Interconnected World
DÜSSELDORF, 6
–
7 APRIL 2017
1.
We,
the G20
Ministers responsible for the digital e
conomy, met in Düsseldorf on 6
–
7 April 2017 to discuss how to
maximize the contributions that digitalisation can provide to
the
economy.
2.
Recalling the 2016 G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative, we recognise that the digital
economy is an increasingly important driver of global inclusive economic growth and plays a significant role in
accelerating economi
c development, enhancing productivity of existing industries, cultivating new markets and
industries and achieving inclusive sustainable growth and development.
We
recognize that freedom of expression and
the free flow of information, ideas and knowledge,
are essential for the digital economy and beneficial to
development, as reaffirmed in paragraph 4 of the Tunis Commitment of
WSIS.
1
3.
Reaffirming the principle in the G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative commitment to a
multistakeholder approach to Internet governance, which includes full and active participation by governments,
private sector, civil society, the t
echnical community, and international organizations, in their respective roles and
responsibilities.
We
support multistakeholder processes and initiatives which are inclusive, transparent and accountable
to all stakeholders in achieving the digitally conne
cted
world.
4.
In this respect the G20 countries recognise the importance of the High Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on
the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society by the UN
General Assem
bly, where the international community reaffirmed its commitment to build a people
-
centred, inclusive
and development oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and
knowledge, enabling individuals, commun
ities and peoples to achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable
development and improving their quality of life premised on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United
Nations and respecting fully and upholding the Universal D
eclaration of Human
Rights.
5.
The impact of digital transformation on our economies and lives is already vast and continues to
grow,
however, in
many respects remains unknown. As digitalisation can transform organisations and markets it can create
challenges for
inclusiveness, labour market
s
and structural adjustments that may need to be managed through appropriate domestic
polic
y settings and international co
operation, for example sharing of
best
practices.
We take note of the debate on
taxation ta
kin
g place in the Finance Minister
s
’
track. Digitalisation and an open, secure, reliable, interoperable and
truly global Internet are enablers for inclusive economic growth and provide us the tools to address societal and global
challenges, including dispa
rities arising from the widening wealth gap, for a more sustainable future.
6.
Today,
with only one in two people in the world connected to the Internet and underrepresented or disadvantaged
groups
2
facing particular challenges, we need to intensify our effo
rts towards bridging all aspects of the digital divide
so that everyone has the opportunity to reap the benefits of the digital
economy.
1
The G20 countries reaffirm the
2016 G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative
, Section II: Guiding P
rinciples: A
Compass for Navigation, principle “Flow of information for Economic Growth, Trust and Security” page 3, last
paragraph.
2
These groups may include for example poorest citizens, citizens from low
-
density and remote areas, women and girls, person
s with disabilities,
seniors, indigenous peoples and other vulnerable
groups.
3
7.
G20 countries take note of work by international organisations such as the
IMF,
ITU,
UNCTAD,
the WTO, the
World Bank and the OECD on the digital economy including the OECD
Ministerial Declaration on the Digital
E
conomy adopted in June
2016.
8.
In 2016, in Hangzhou, G20 leaders proposed to collectively leverage the opportunities as well as address ch
al
lenges of
an increasingly digital world, in order to enable a thriving and dynamic digital economy that drives inclusive global
growth and benefits all. The G20
Task
Force
on the digital e
conomy, first adopted in Hangzhou, has taken forward the
G20 Bluep
rint on Innovative Growth, ensuring continuity and consistency with the G20 Digital Economy
Development and Cooperation Initiative and the G20 New Industrial Revolution Action Plan, and mindful of potential
synergies with other G20 work
-
streams. Under the
current German G20 Presidency the first digital ministerial process
has been set up, signifying the importance of digitalisation in the global agenda.
9.
We
recognize the critical importance of private sector and enterprises in the digital economy as well as
of enabling
and transparent legal, regulatory and policy environments, and fostering open, competitive markets. Recognizing the
importance of enforcing competition and consumer protection laws in the digital
economy,
which are conducive to
market access, technological innovation in
ICTs
and the growth of the digital
economy.
Fostering favourable
conditions, mitigating potential risks, open labour markets for digital experts and policy environments, mindful of
national
regulations hereof, and removing unjustified barriers for inclusive digital economic
growth
are
at
the
heart
of
the
G20’s
objectives,
including
through
measures
to
promote
universal
and affordable
access,
expanding
infrastructure,
improving
digital
skills,
furthering
the
development
of
content
that meets local needs on a non
-
discriminatory basis, and creating incentives to continue to innovate, compete and invest in digital business models,
encouraging the use of interoperable approaches and relevant intern
ational standards taking into account national
interests and
priorities.
10.
G20 countries recognise the potential for the digital economy to contribute to achieving the goals of the United
Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
This may be possible
with a greater availability of affordable
broadband connectivity, improved digital skills, and literacy, greater digital entrepreneurship and broader adoption of
digital technologies and services as an enabler in other sectors
of the economy. We call for
cooperation and
co
ordination to maximize the benefits and mitigate potential risks for these global challenges.
11.
The G20 countries recognise the vital importance of the principle of multilingualism in the digital economy to
encourage corresponding linguist
ic, cultural and historical diversity underscoring the need for further development of
local content on a non
-
discriminatory basis and services in a variety of languages and formats as adopted by the 2005
WSIS and reaffirmed at the 2015 WSIS +10 in New
Yor
k. Work
on language and translation technologies will help to
achieve this
principle.
12.
We,
the Ministers responsible for the digital economy, also recognise that digitalisation touches upon areas out
-
side of
our responsibility and welcome the work of our
colleagues including the implementation of the G20 High Level
Principles for Digital Financial Inclusion by the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion the G20 Finance track
and the efforts of the G20 Agriculture Ministers to highlight the importanc
e of ICT for innovative and sustainable
agriculture.
We
welcome the initiative of the future of work of the G20 Employment
Track
and also
call
on
other
Ministers
in
our
countries
to
explore
the
benefits
that
digitalisation
could
bring
to
other
sectors.
G
lobal digitalisation
–
Harnessing the potential for inclusive growth and
employment
13.
G20 countries will continue to work on the key fields of action outlined in the G20 Blueprint on Innovation and Growth
and recognise the strategic importance of harnessing
digitalisation to gen
erate prosperity, inclusive eco
nomic growth,
social and cultural progress and development around the globe.
We
also acknowledge and
support
the potential that
digitalisation has in creating prosperity and progress around the globe, un
derline the opportunities that exist, understand
the need to balance benefits and risks, and provide for more inclusion. Therefore, it is important to identify obstacles to
digitalisation, including those tha
t lead to the further marginalis
ation
of develop
ing countries and widen digital
divi
de
s
as
well as identify the practices that are working well.
4
14.
We
welcome new innovative digital business models, including like online
-
platforms and the sharing economy and call
on Ministers responsible for the digital economy to consider principles that support investment and innovation, while
protecting intellectual p
roperty rights. These developments should be accompanied by a sound and balanced system of
policy approaches that should be based on supportable evidence and developed in an inclusive and transparent manner.
We
also encourage the exchange of best practices
on boosting investment and financing for micro and small and
medium
-
sized enterprises
(MSMEs).
15.
We recognise that digitalisation is raising new questions surrounding competition. The lines between offline and online
business models are becoming increasing
ly blurred, and there are new competitive dynamics.
In many cases
digitalisation leads to greater competition, transparency and consumer choice, however, there is also a need to better
understand the potential market impact of new business models.
16.
The G20
countries recognise that digital infrastructure is fundamental to digitalisation yet not everyone has the same
opportunities to connect for access. Digital divides persist across income, age, geography, and
gender.
Therefore, we
reaffirm our commitment ma
de in Hangzhou to the Connect 2020 Agenda’s goal of connecting the next 1.5 billion
people by 2020 and will encourage the domestic deployment of connectivity to all people by 2025, in accordance with
the respective nation’s strategic and developmental pol
icy frameworks. With regard to improving connectivity
infrastructure, we welcome policy and regulation that promote competitive environment in order to encourage private
sector investment.
17.
We
encourage promoting actions for investment in the deployment an
d development of advanced communications
technologies, including 5G and other technologies, recognizing the different levels of development of G20 countries,
and taking into account international efforts for
harmonis
ation.
18.
Connectivity and digital access alone are not enough to create an inclusive, sustainable digital future for all.
We
welcome and support the work of the G20 Employment
Track
which is examining how employment and social policies
could be adapted in order to
shape the future of work in the areas of skills development and adjustment, social policies
and job quality.
We
also understand that all forms of education and life
-
long learning may need to be adjusted to take
advantage of new digital technologies and to
develop the skills required by the labour market.
We
welcome the G20
Initiative to Promote Quality Apprenticeships and promote skills for a digital world in several areas including
vocational training and on the job training (see Annex 2). As well, G20 cou
ntries intend to promote digital literacy, as
an essential element in the development of the digital
economy.
19.
Half the population of
the planet are women yet 250 million fewer women than men are online today.
Taking
this into
consideration, we intend to p
romote action to help bridge the digital gender divide and help support the equitable
participation of women and girls in the digital economy. The G20 Ministers responsible for the digital economy
welcome the efforts made by the G20 Development Working Gro
up and the initiative #eSkills4girls to help improve
digital skills and employment perspectives for girls and women in emerging and developing countries.
We
also bear in
mind the importance of initiatives to digitally include
other underrepresented or dis
a
dvantaged
groups.
20.
G20 Members share the objectives of promoting further inclusive growth and creating jobs through Digital Trade. G20
Members also recognise that capabilities and development of Digital
Trade
across the world are unevenly spread, and
that Digital
Trade
impacts on a range of closely related policy areas. Policy decisions should benefit society as a whole,
consumers, and firms of all sizes, particularly MSMEs. G20 Members commit to work towards a
common
understanding and improved measurement of Digital
Trade
in order to foster informed and evidence
-
based
policymaking in this
area.
5
G20 Members will engage constructively in WTO discussions relating to E
-
commerce with the WT
O’s Eleventh
Ministerial Conference (MC 11) in mind, and will remain constructively engaged in other international fora with
responsibilities related to various aspects of Digital Trade to foster digital economy development and trade. G20
Members agree tha
t Digital Trade has potential to boost inclusive growth and jobs and may also bring challenges to
developed, developing and least developed countries at different levels, and, acknowledging that intensified and
concerted action is needed to enhance the abi
lity of developing and least developed countries to more fully engage in
Digital Trade, agree on the common goal to strive to address the factors contributing to digital divides. Taking into
account the rapid development of technology and its impact on tra
de patterns, G20 Members agree to continue
discussions on Digital Trade under the upcoming Argentinian G20 Presidency.
21.
G20 countries recognise the important role that MSMEs and start
-
ups play in our economies, including
women
-
owned MSMEs and
start
-
ups.
We
encourage sharing best practices, knowledge and skills in the areas
of identifying new business opportunities and new financial resources as well as building new capacities. We
welcome implementation efforts of the G20 Entrepreneurship Action Plan, which
endeavours to improve the
assistance available for entrepreneurs to access opportunities in the digital economy, including to promote
inclusive growth in developed, developing and least developed countries.
Digitising production for growth
22.
G20 countries share the opinion that the digitalisation of production has an impact on institutions and infrastructure and
may act as a driver for global growth, including creating new jobs, but at the same time may potentially lead to other
effects, espec
ially on employment, transforming jobs and automating tasks. With respect to the digitalisation of
production not all the G20 countries and their industries are at the same level of implementation. Therefore, through
exchange of expertise and best practice
s, G20 countries can encourage digital transformation in production, especially
for MSMEs. This includes gaining an in
-
depth understanding of the impact of digitalisation on economic development
and particularly of how it can be harnessed in the service of
industrialization and economic development in general.
We
also take into account the co
nference “Digitising Manufactur
ing in the G20
–
Initiatives, Best Practices and Policy
Approaches” which took place in March
2017.
23.
A successful and inclusive co
-
operat
ion of all interested parties and stakeholders can help address the wide range of
economic and social challenges that exist.
We
intend to exchange best practices among experts in the digitalisation of
production, Internet of Things, machine
-
to
-
machine (M2M
) communication, IT security, smart cities and smart
mobility.
24.
The G20 countries support the development and their use of international standards for technological products and
services that are consistent with the international rules including WTO rules
and
principles.
3
G20 countries recognise
the development of standards should be industry
-
and market
-
led, based on principles of openness, transparency and
consensus and standards should not act as barrier to trade, competition or innovation. Standards can
promote security
in the use of ICT and interoperability, enabling us to reap the benefits from digitalisation while at the same time
ensuring appropriate measures for pursuing legitimate public policy goals.
25.
Building on the pre
-
G20
-
presidency conference
on standardisation that took place in Berlin in October 2016 and
on the call made by the G20 Agriculture Ministers, G20 countries are encouraged to exchange best practices on
standardisation in areas such as: digitisation of production, security in the us
e of
ICT,
smart cities and smart
mobility as
well as in the field of smart farming. We will also continue to support
mobility as well as in the field of smart farming.
We will also continue to support international standards for digitised production applic
ations, open to participation
from interested parties and stakeholders, where all relevant standards organisations have a role to play. At the
international level, standards to improve digitalisation of production and facilitate the conduct of internationa
l trade,
could be fostered by existing standardisation bodies.
3
Text
agreed in
2016 G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative
, Section IV: Policy
Support:
For an Open and Secure Environment, para 15. Support the development and use of
international standards, page 7.
6
Strengthening trust in the digital world
26.
Users can increasingly benefit from the digital world. G20 countries will support the free flow of information while
respecting applicable domestic and/or international legal frameworks for privacy and data protection, and strengthening
security in the use
of ICT as well as transparency and consumer protection.
We
reaffirm support for ICT policies that
preserve the global nature of the Internet, promote the flow of information across borders, and allow Internet users to
lawfully access online information, k
nowledge and services of their choice. At the same time the G20 recognizes that
applicable frameworks for privacy and personal data protection, as well as intellectual property rights, have to be
respected as they are essential to strengt
hening confidence
and trust in
the digital economy.
4
We
further recognize that
there is also a need to meet certain legitimate policy objectives to take advant
age of the benefits of digitalis
ation.
Furthermore, we encourage international co
-
operation among the G20 in the ab
ove mentioned policy objec
tives, while
also supporting co
operation efforts at the broader international level and including to assist countries to bridge the
digital
divide.
27.
We
emphasis
e the importance of consumer protection in the digital economy. G20 co
untries continue to address a
number of consumer challenges to ensure that online businesses provide c
onsumers with information suffi
cient to make
informed decisions, for example through consumer information t
hat is easy to understand. Con
sumers also need
to be
empowered to take control of their online identity. In this context, it is also important to strengthen our efforts to
reinforce basic digital literacy of consumers.
We
also note the G20 Consumer Summit held on 15 March in Berlin and
the
recommendations
presented.
28.
Trust
and security are vital for harnessing the potential of the digital economy an
d for the successful digitalisa
tion of
production. As part of our efforts to address security risks, threats and vulnerabilities in the use of
IC
Ts,
including
those to ICT
-
enabled critical infrastructures, endeavour to
strengthen international collab
oration, capacity building and
public
-
private
-
partnerships, including through constructive discussions in relevant inter
-
national fora.
We
support and
encourage the use of risk
-
based technical standards, guidelines, and best
-
practices to identify, assess, and manage
security risk by both the public and private
sectors.
5
Going forward
29.
We
appreciate the role of the Business 20, Women 20,
Youth
20 and
Labour 20 and other civil society groups in the
G20 process, and the importance of exchanging ideas and sharing effective and practical solutions with all interested
parties and
stakeholders.
30.
We
are grateful for the expertise provided by the
IMF,
ITU, OEC
D,
UNCTAD,
World Bank and WTO for their
participation in our G20 work.
We
call on all international bodies with expertise to further the digital economy
measurement agenda, consistent with their current mandates, in an effort to provide important tools for
enhancing the
understanding of the contribution of the digital economy to the overall
economy.
4
Text
agreed in
2016 G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative
, Section II: Guiding Principles: A
Compass
for
Navigation,
principle
“Flow
of
information
for
Economic
Growth,
Trust
and
Security”,
page
4.
5
Text
agreed in
2016 G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative
, Section
IV:
Policy Support: For an Open and Secure Environment, para 16. Strengthen confidence and trust
, sub
-
bullet 2, page 8.
7
31.
Digital transformation through rapid adoption and application of innovative digital economy business models and
frameworks as enablers for the sharing economy, workforce digitalisation and financial inclusion could be one practical,
effective and scalable
way,
along with other policy approaches, of addressing uneven distribution of wealth and income
disparity.
We
welcome future work on fostering strategic initiatives on the digital economy to improve wealth and
income distribution in G20
countries.
32.
To
full
y harness the potential of digitalisation for jobs and growth, it is critical
that the digital economy is
com
prehensively included in our national statistics and when feasible, separately identified. There is also a need to
continually review our statistic
al frameworks. This evidence will help us assess the
impact that our digital strate
gies are
having on the development of the digital economy.
We
therefore welcome the work of international organisations and
National Statistical Offices to improve measureme
nt of the digital
economy.
33.
In recognition of the potential for economic growth and social well
-
being that digital transformation brings, we invite
the G20
Task
Force
on the digital e
conomy to continue its work. The nex
t Presidency of the G20, Argen
tina, h
as
confirmed to continue the work on the basis of the Roadmap such as supporting, inclusive growth and jobs,
sustainable development, and bridging the digital
divides
Source:
http://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/DE/Downloads/G/g20-digital-economy-ministerial-declaration-english-version.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&
